Tag Archives: xbox 360

In-Depth: Sony Threatens Microsoft’s Non-Gaming Dominance

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[As Sony announces a tie-up with Vudu for HD movie streaming, Gamasutra editor-at-large Chris Morris looks at how the PlayStation 3 creator has started to gain ground on Microsoft’s array of on-console media content — the next big battlefield for game consoles.]

Long before Kinect, Microsoft had its own way of courting the non-gamer – offer functionality on the Xbox 360 that was unique enough to lure in people who weren’t interested in the latest Haloinstallment. And it was a pretty effective method.

With Netflix integration leading the charge in 2008, the Xbox 360 finally fulfilled the dream of the console as a Trojan horse of the living room. It gave the company a huge competitive advantage for a while, but recently that advantage has been slipping away. Sony, in particular, has gained a lot of ground in that battle and is threatening to overshadow Microsoft’s achievements.

Read more at Gamasutra

Kinect opens to big sales

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Cementing its status as one of the year’s “must have” holiday items, Microsoft’s Kinect has sold more than 1 million units in its first 10 days on the market.

That’s a strong start for the peripheral, which uses motion capture technology to let players use their bodies to control videogames on the Xbox 360. It’s certainly a stronger reaction than Sony saw with its entry in the motion control category earlier this year. The company shipped 1 million PlayStation Move units to retailers in that device’s first month on shelves, but did not sell them all.

Read more at Daily Variety

Opinion: Despite Flaws, Kinect May Be Just The Thing For Microsoft

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[Gamasutra’s Chris Morris looks at the factors that will dictate Kinect’s market prospects at launch and down the line, opining that Microsoft’s holiday season looks secured — but that it “might have screwed some of its partners in the process.”]

Two months ago, when Sony’s PlayStation Move hit shelves, I wondered whether Sony had lost its mind. The device, I mentioned, wasn’t intuitive and had some alarming aesthetic issues – a combination that could hurt its chances with the mainstream audience.

Now Kinect has arrived – and while it has just as many problems as Move, it seems poised to thoroughly trounce its competitor this holiday season.

Read more at Gamasutra

Review: Kinect for Xbox 360

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For all the media attention and fanfare, you might think Microsoft was launching a new console today. And given what the company is spending on marketing its latest peripheral, you wouldn’t be that far off.

Kinect, a motion sensor device that allows users to play games simply by using gestures and voice commands, hit shelves today – and is predicted by many to become one of this year’s “must have” holiday gifts. Microsoft is so confident in the device that is has raised its internal sales predictions for calendar 2010 from 3 million to 5 million.

But is it any good?

Read more at Variety’s Technotainment blog

Microsoft’s ‘Kinect’ Bet Looks to Be Paying Off

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Microsoft rolled the dice when it decided to get into the video game motion control market. Nintendo, with the Wii, had certainly proven that there was an audience interested in a more intuitive controller, but with over 71 million of the consoles sold worldwide, the potential for market saturation was strong.

As the company rolls out Kinect on Thursday, early signs are showing that the gamble was a wise one.

Read more at CNBC.com

Going through the motions: Kinect vs. Move vs Wii

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Nintendo pioneered the motion gaming movement with the Wii. In September, Sony tried to better the experience with Move. And on Nov. 4, Microsoft will begin selling Kinect, which does away with controllers altogether. That’s when the battle will really kick into overdrive.

As holiday shoppers prepare their lists this year, they’ll be subjected to marketing blitzes and in-store kiosks for all three technologies, each hoping to separate people from their money. It’s the new front line for gaming companies and no one wants to be left behind.

Trying to decide which, if any, of these motion gaming experiences is right for you? We’ve broken down the pros and cons of each to make it easier.

Read more at Yahoo! Games

How Critical Is This Holiday for Nintendo?

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Two years ago, Nintendo could do no wrong. The Wii was at the height of its retail domination and competitors were scrambling for second place.

Today it’s a much different story and the looming holiday season could be a crucial one that determines the strength – and perhaps the future – of the company’s core console business.

Read more at CNBC.com

‘Halo: Reach’ Not Enough to Lift Falling Game Sales

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Even “Halo: Reach” couldn’t bring the video game industry out of its slump in September.

Software sales at retail stores were down a shocking 6 percent last month to $614 million, according to The NPD Group. That’s vastly worse than analysts were expecting and could scare investors, who were holding out hope that September would be a bright spot in an otherwise dismal year for game sales.

Read more at CNBC.com

September sales plunge. Halo can’t save the month.

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The consensus among analysts and industry observers was that strong sales of “Halo: Reach” would be enough to bring video game sales into positive territory in September.

The consensus was wrong. Very, very wrong.

Read more at Variety’s Technotainment blog

 

Netflix instant streaming hits PS3 next week

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Up until now, PlayStation 3 owners who wanted to stream a film through Netflix’s “Watch Instantly” feature had to manually insert a disc into their devices. As of Oct. 18, they won’t have to bother anymore.

Next week, a system update will make instant Netflix streaming a native application on the game console – putting it in parity with the Xbox 360, which had exclusivity on dashboard streaming until now.

Read more at Variety’s Technotainment blog